Han Dong-hoon proposes external audits for election commission

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon has proposed legislation to allow the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) to conduct external audits of the National Election Commission (NEC). The move comes in response to a ballot shortage crisis during the June 3 local elections, which Han described as a failure to uphold the "100% fairness" required in electoral processes.

Han stated on Facebook that he plans to introduce an amendment to the Board of Audit and Inspection Act. This amendment would add a legal basis for the BAI to conduct job inspections of the NEC and its regional committees. He also intends to include a provision that would prevent the BAI from reporting such inspections to the president, thereby creating a system of external oversight while simultaneously blocking potential presidential interference.

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Electoral management must be '100% fair,' not 'as fair as possible.'

"Electoral management must be '100% fair,' not 'as fair as possible,'" Han asserted, expressing shock at the ballot shortage incident. He argued that the NEC's "complacent and arrogant response" is unacceptable, noting that the commission has operated like a "sanctuary" immune from external audits, which has allowed "incompetence and arrogance" to grow.

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The NEC's complacent and arrogant response is even more baffling. The NEC has operated like a sanctuary that does not undergo any external audits, and in the process, such absurd incompetence and arrogance have grown.

Han recalled a 2023 incident where the BAI conducted an inspection of the NEC following reports of illegal hiring practices. The NEC responded by filing a constitutional appeal, and in February 2025, the Constitutional Court ruled that the BAI's inspection infringed upon the NEC's constitutional authority. Han believes this ruling was incorrect, as the law clearly lists only the National Assembly, courts, and the Constitutional Court as exempt from inspections.

He argued that the NEC's independence is intended to ensure fair elections, not to shield incompetence or corruption. With the NEC's oversight now seemingly threatened by this ruling, Han believes new legislation is necessary to correct the situation and ensure the commission remains accountable.

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The reason for guaranteeing the independence of the NEC is solely for the 'fairness of election management,' not to allow or protect the NEC's incompetence and corruption. Therefore, this decision is wrong.